Eight Innovative Startups Unveil Breakthroughs to Combat Plastic Pollution at Rethinking Materials Summit

The Rethinking Materials summit – a virtual event hosted by the UK’s Rethink Events – will take place on May 19–20. Eight trailblazing startups will demonstrate cutting‑edge technologies designed to curb plastic pollution and waste, spanning raw‑material innovation to end‑of‑life recycling and circular reuse.

The summit will bring together brands, retailers, plastics producers, converters, manufacturers, technology providers, regulators, investors and a growing cohort of early‑ and mid‑stage companies, creating a dynamic forum for networking and knowledge exchange.

For over a decade, Rethink Events has delivered high‑impact thought‑leadership summits worldwide, including the Future Food‑Tech Series in London, New York, San Francisco and Singapore; the World Agri‑Tech Innovation Summit Series in London, Amsterdam, New York, San Francisco, São Paulo and Singapore; and the World Waste to Energy & Resources Summit in London.

Biobased Solutions

Four of the showcased companies focus on biobased materials, offering sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics.

• Algaeing (Algalife, Israel) – Co‑founder and CEO Renana Krebs explains that the company harnesses algae to produce natural pigments and fibers that benefit both the environment and human skin.
• Carbonauten (Germany) – Co‑founder and CEO Christina Granacher details a system that reduces CO₂ emissions and costs for businesses and municipalities by deploying decentralized sites near biomass residues and waste streams.
• Gelatex Technologies (Estonia) – Patent‑pending technology cuts costs by over 90 % and enables large‑scale use of biobased nanofibers in applications such as cultured meat and filtration, according to COO Mari‑Ann Meigo.
• Xampla (UK) – CEO Simon Hombersley describes a next‑generation plant‑protein material that performs like synthetic polymers yet fully decomposes without harming the environment.

Circular Solutions

Four startups leverage data, biology and advanced materials to close the loop on plastic waste.

• Empower (Norway) – Founder and CEP Wilhelm Myrer shares that the company uses digitization, cloud data and blockchain to track plastic flows, ensuring materials return to high‑value uses and advancing a truly circular economy.
• Genecis Bioindustries (Canada) – COO Abdul Khogali highlights a bio‑cleantech platform that reprograms bacteria to transform low‑value organic waste into premium biodegradable polymers for packaging, coffee pods and 3D‑printing filaments.
• Magnomer (USA) – Founder and CEO Ravish Majithia explains that magnetizable inks integrate seamlessly into existing packaging, enhancing separation and recycling efficiency.
• Scindo (UK) – Co‑founder and CEO Gustaf Hemberg discusses enzyme‑driven recycling that breaks down unrecyclable plastics into valuable molecular components, turning waste into low‑cost feedstock.

For visual context, the following images illustrate the innovations discussed: